Australia could ban camera-equipped smart glasses

Australia is considering barring camera-equipped smart glasses from federal offices and service centers. The government calls the proposed restriction “world-leading”; no country has yet banned the devices across all its national agencies, The Guardian reports.

“Smart glasses can raise legitimate privacy and security concerns, particularly because of their ability to record and capture information,” Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher said. The proposed rule could apply to workplaces ranging from Centrelink service centers to research laboratories.

It would not ban the glasses from streets or other public places. The government is not planning a broad import ban, either. State-run schools and hospitals would decide on their own restrictions.

Several councils have already drawn their own lines. Brisbane has banned smart glasses at public pools. Melbourne’s Yarra council has barred them from playgrounds, childcare centers and gyms. A federal rule would cover government workplaces across the country, going beyond those local restrictions.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has also cautioned against unfairly excluding people who use smart glasses to assist with low vision. For now, the federal ban is under consideration, not in force.